18 March 2026
Former Churchlands Senior High School student Sidney Stephens reached the pinnacle of her sport when she earned a last-minute call up to the Australian Olympic team and made her debut at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games.
Sidney, now 23, was called into the Australian Aerials Team just days before competition began, after fellow athlete Laura Peel was forced to pull out of what would have been her fourth Olympic Games due to a ruptured ACL in her right knee, sustained just days before the opening ceremony.
Sidney finished in 15th place at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games.
Born in South Africa and raised in Margaret River, Sidney attended Churchlands Senior High School while balancing an international career in gymnastics.
At just 18-years-old, she switched her focus to aerial skiing, a sport where athletes perform acrobatic jumps on skis.
“I think I'm just really excited to be honest, trying to soak it all in,” she said when told of her call up.
Sidney made her Olympic debut at the Livigno Aerials and Moguls Park on 18 February, where she performed a Back-Lay-Full to score 75.11 in Qualification 1 and a Back-Lay-Tuck to score 73.84 in Qualification 2.
Her results achieved a final score of 75.11 and she finished 15th.
Sidney shared her feelings about her performance in an Instagram post.
“While this wasn’t the debut I had imagined, I’m incredibly proud of the jumps I put down and the way I showed up,” she posted.
“Growth isn’t always linear, and I’m walking away from these Games stronger, more motivated, and so grateful.”
Sidney is currently studying Psychological Science at Griffth University.
You can watch Sidney’s Qualification 1 Back-Lay-Full on Facebook.